Welcome to my mini's home on the web. This was my first car that I got when I was 17 and have continually restored/upraded it. It's always been a project with the goal of faster and better handling.

This is the current colour configuration although the next build up will see a flat black hood with the blue.

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When i first got it, back in the days of yellow paint, four seats 10in wheels (four different brand tires and all bald).

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I was always a bit embarrased when people would ask me to see the engine, the bay was a mess, everything had guk from 28 years all over it. It had a gorgeous carb, it went like snot, sounded amazing but just looked like it was built in the backyard (well it was built in the driveway, no indoor luxury garage). So this time I took the chance when the engine was out to sand blast and spray paint the engine bay. Not a pro job, but a lot better than the mix of old peeling white (original colour) rust, dirt, oil, holes etc...

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Now for the new stuff, last fall I pulled the engine and was forced to get a rebuild due to a flywheel and crankshat argument that saw metals chunks getting ripped out of each other and then re welding from the friction. Lesson learned, a $50 hard steel machined flywheel bolt/lock tap is worth it.

Here is the straight cut minisport gearbox that I ordered. No sence putting the freshly built engine on an old gearbox just waiting to spew metal shavings into my fresh rebuilt beauty (mini's trannies and engines share the same oil as the tranny is the oil pan)

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No money in the budget for an LSD as they are more than the whole tranny, but a stronger competition 4 pin diff (vs the stock single pin)

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Got the engine and tranny together,

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Not only have I rebuilt the engine, but I've paid close attention to detail. Roller tiped rockers are lighter in alloy vs cast steel, allow less resistance thanks to the roller tip and are also a longer ration, 1.5 vs 1.22 stock, this creates quicker and further valve opening throughout the whole lift, it's got a fast road cam too.

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Rotational weight is a big concern, since the A serries engine is essentially a 1940s ish design it's components are pretty heavy(not sure of the exact year but it was used in various cars prior to the first mini in 1959)

Here is the light weight all alloy crankshaft pully and vibration dampener. Mini's have a lot of low end vibrations so they need a dampener on built engines. This new model is lighter and dampens better than stock parts. Not shown are the ultr light flywheel/backplate.

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Before the engine blew I had some overheating problems, so the answers were to fit the tropical fan, larger blades push more air through the rad. It's the only part that is a weight increase over stock. But there is no point in having a light fan with an over heated engine. The water pump is the large capacity with an alloy over sized pully. The oversized pully slows down the water pump since this engine will see 4000+ rev's most of the time. The stock pully would then be over pumping and decreasing the cooling efficency, same for the altenator with a larger alloy pully fitted as well (not pictured).

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And finally how she'll look, still a lot to put together but just for a visual. The clutch housing will need to be replaced since my old one isn't compatable with the new tranny. And I'll either replace the flywheel cover to keep it fresh or paint it.

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